PRINTER'S NO. 1119
No. 973 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY AFFLERBACH, MUSTO, STAPLETON, REIBMAN,
PORTERFIELD, O'PAKE, JONES, REGOLI AND STOUT, MAY 31, 1989
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, MAY 31, 1989
AN ACT
1 Providing for the establishment and operation of poison control
2 centers throughout this Commonwealth; imposing powers and
3 duties on the Department of Health; and making an
4 appropriation.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Short title.
8 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Poison
9 Control Centers Act.
10 Section 2. Legislative findings and policy.
11 (a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds as follows:
12 (1) Poison control activities are important in terms of
13 reducing the number of accidental poisonings, providing
14 immediate medical attention when needed and lowering health
15 care costs.
16 (2) Poisoning is the most common nontraumatic pediatric
17 emergency and is also one of the most common causes of
18 accidental deaths.
1 (3) Poison prevention and treatment programs can be
2 successful in reducing accidental poisonings, promoting child
3 safety practices, improving public education, lowering
4 treatment costs and saving lives.
5 (b) Policy.--The General Assembly therefore declares that it
6 is the policy of this Commonwealth to promote the establishment
7 of a poison control network to direct, coordinate and provide
8 poison control services Statewide in an effort to reduce
9 accidental poisonings and to provide expenditures for such
10 purposes.
11 Section 3. Definitions.
12 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
13 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
14 context clearly indicates otherwise:
15 "Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
16 "Satellite regional poison control center." An established
17 regional poison control center which services a recognized
18 service area contiguous to or in affiliation with a certified
19 regional poison control center.
20 Section 4. Satellite regional poison control centers.
21 (a) Establishment.--The department shall establish,
22 implement and administer a program for a Statewide network of
23 satellite regional poison control centers which will provide
24 efficient and effective services to all areas of this
25 Commonwealth. The department shall examine and designate any
26 existing poison control center as a satellite regional poison
27 control center prior to the establishment of any new satellite
28 regional poison control center.
29 (b) Review.--Every three years the department shall
30 reexamine every designated satellite regional poison control
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1 center.
2 Section 5. Powers and duties of department.
3 The department shall have the following powers and duties
4 relating to the establishment and operation of satellite
5 regional poison control facilities:
6 (1) Services to be provided which may include:
7 (i) Dissemination of expert information and
8 consultation services to professional personnel on the
9 diagnosis, treatment and management of any suspected or
10 actual poisonings.
11 (ii) Dissemination of information, emergency first
12 aid and referral services to the general public.
13 (iii) Coordination, assurance and monitoring of
14 poison prevention and medical management programs for the
15 professional community and the general public in the
16 region it serves.
17 (iv) Collection of uniform data and research
18 activity to enhance poison control management.
19 (2) Staffing requirements, including the number,
20 qualifications and training of personnel.
21 (3) Operational requirements, including availability of
22 and access to services and informational resources, public
23 and professional education and protocols.
24 (4) Comprehensive treatment capabilities and a
25 categorized system of treatment facilities for the region.
26 (5) Health professional outreach program.
27 (6) Regional data collection system including a method
28 of insuring the confidentiality of such data as is otherwise
29 required by law.
30 (7) Rules and regulations for the establishment,
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1 implementation and administration of satellite regional
2 poison control centers.
3 Section 6. Annual report.
4 The department shall make an annual report to the General
5 Assembly of its findings and recommendations concerning the
6 effectiveness, impact and benefits derived from the programs as
7 established pursuant to this section. The report shall be
8 submitted on or before the first day of February and shall
9 contain evaluations of the programs.
10 Section 7. Appropriation.
11 The sum of $920,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary,
12 is hereby appropriated to the Department of Health for the
13 fiscal year July 1, 1989, to June 30, 1990, for distribution as
14 follows:
15 Capital Area Poison Center..................... 37,000
16 Delaware Valley Poison Center.................. 375,000
17 Keystone Region Poison Center.................. 19,000
18 Lehigh Valley Poison Center.................... 65,000
19 Northwest Regional Poison Center............... 18,000
20 Poison Control Center of Southwestern
21 Pennsylvania................................... 375,000
22 Susquehanna Poison Center...................... 31,000
23 Section 8. Effective date.
24 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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